Improvement in plows



`J. AUSTIN.

Plow.

- Patented June 17,Y 1879.

UNTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN AUSTIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN PLOWS.

Specification forming part of Letters PatentNo. 216,592, dated June 17',1879; application iilcd January 15, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN AUSTIN, of Chi.

.cago, in the county of Cook and State of Illireference bein g had tothe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of arotary gang-` plow embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a top or plan viewthereof; and Fig. 3, a side elevation of one of the forward wheels,showing more in detail the means employed to adjust the wheelvertically.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts.

My invention relates to that class of rotary plows wherein are employedone or more vertically-adjustable annular and rotary concavoconvexdisks, having cutting-edges lying in vertical planes, and mounted on acarriage and set at an angle to the line of draft, for cutting furrowsand turning thefsoil during the advancement of the carriage.

I aim to improve the construction and operation of plows of this classin certain details relating to the construction of the cutting@l edgesor annular parts of the disks, to the mode of mounting the disks, to theconstruction and arrangement of the mol d-boards, and to the mode ofhanging and controlling the plow-beam.

To these ends my invention consists in lnakingl the cutting-edges orannular parts of the disks in comparatively narrow sections, applied tothe outer ends of spokes radiating from a hub mounted on an axle setdiagonally to the line of draft, and substantially as hereinafter moreparticularly described an d specifically set forth, so that the saidsections may be made, applied, and removed with greater facility; inmounting the disks on long axles; in making and arranging themold-boards to turn the soil from the disks upon the furrows g thecombination ofthe said disks, their pivoted frame,

. the main frame, and the lifting or adjusting devices, substantially ashereinafter set forth. In, the drawings, A represents the forward axle,one en d of which is made crank-shaped,

as shown at a. This axle is supported freely in the clips or straps B B,which are rigidly attached to the bolster or cross-bar C. Rig idlyattached to the bolster C is the verticallyarranged disk or plate D,perforated in the arc of a circle, as shown at b b. E is a lever rigidlyattached to the axle A. F is a lever pivoted to the lever E, and restingon the spring c. The lower end of the lever F is bent to form alocking-pin, d, which passes through an opening in the lever E, and isarranged to enter the holes Z1 b. The pin d is retained in any oftheholes b b by means ofthe spring c, and may be drawn therefrom bypressing the upper end of the lever F toward the lever E. The height ofthe Wheel G onthe crank end of the axle A maybe raised and lowered withrespect to the opposite wheel, H, by grasping the handles of the leversE and F, and thus raising or lowering the free end of the lever E. Thisturns the axleA in its bearings, and consequently the position of theWheel Gis correspondingly changed. As soon as the lever F is releasedthe pin d will enter a hole, o, and lock the axle in its new position.

The wheel G being the land-Wheel, and the wheel. H the furro\vwl1eel,itwill be perceived that, by adjusting the Wheel Gr in the mannerdescribed, the frame or carriage may be made to `ride horizontally orwithout being tilted.

Iis a frame, rigidly attached to the bolster C, and supported at itsrear end by the caster having bearings in the hanger K, which is pivotedto the frame l. L is the drivers seat. M is a frame, pivoted at itsforward end either to the bolster C or to the forward part of the frameI, so that the rear or free end of the frame M may be adjustedvertically.` This frame consists `of the side bars or rails, N N, and ofthe central bar or rail, O, all connected to each other, as is clearlyrepresented in Fig. 2.

P is a curved or semicirculal; plate, notched or toothed on its outeredge, and rigidly attached to the central part of one of the bars orrails o f the frame l. Q is a lever, pivoted tothe frame I at a pointequallydistant from each of the `notches or teethin the plate I), ornearly so. The lower end of the lever Q, ex-

tends from the pivot'of the lever in a line at an angle to the remainingpart of the lever, as represented by the broken lines in Fig. 1; and Ris a connecting-rod, pivoted to the outer end of the short or lower armof the lever Q, and also to the central part of the beam or rail O.

S is a short lever, pivoted to the upper part of the lever Q, and T is abolt or locking-bar, pivoted to the lever S and passing through theguide-plate U, the latter of which is rigidly attached to the lever Q.The lower end of the bolt T is adapted andai-ranged to engage thenotches-or teeth on the plate P, and may be held to this engagement bymeans of a spring. By drawing the upper end or handle of the lever Stoward the handle of the lever Q the bolt T will be drawn from itsengagement with the plate P, and the lever Q may then be moved back andforth. This backand-forth movement will, as will be perceived, result inraising or lowering the frame M, and when this frame is thus properlyadjusted it will be held in its position by the lock bar or bolt T assoon as the lever S is released. As will be hereinafter explained, theframe M carries the rotary plow-disks, and the object of adjusting thisframe in the manner described is to cause the disks to run deep orshallow, according to the depth of furrow desired.

A' A' are the rotary plow-disks. These disks consist of the hubs B' B',from which extend the radial arms or spokes G' C'. In practice thesearms or spokes may extend from an annular disk, D', bolted to a ilangeon the hub. The hubs B' B' are rigidly attached to the axles E' E',journaled in the bearings F' F', applied to the bars or rails N N and Oof the frame M. G' G' are the working or cutting blades of the disks AlA'. The parts G' G' form an annular rim, made in sections, each part G'being applied to the outer ends of a pair of spokes, C' G', asrepresented.

Each disk A' A', as a whole, is concavoconvex in form, and the concavefaces are set in the same direction and toward the furrow side of theimplement. The disks are also set in planes which bisect the line ofdraft, as represented in Figs. l and 2. One disk is also set a little tothe rear of the other, as shown.

It will be observed that the bearings of the inner ends ofeach axle areaconsiderable distance apart, thus firmly supporting` the disk andpreventing rocking or tilting. It may also be stated that the spokes maybe made straight, the parts G' G' being dish-shaped or Haring.

Hl H' are mold-boards, attached to frame M and extending across the,rimof the disks A' A', as is clearlyr shown in Fig. l. I' is a tongue,which may be applied to the carriage in any suitable way.

When the implement is drawn forward the disks A' A' are rotated byreason of their Contact with the soil. They also cut and scoop up thesoil until the latter either falls off the disks by gravity or isscraped off by the moldboards H' H'. In either case a furrow is made andthe soil is turned much the` saine as by ani ordinary plow.

The adjustment for the land-wheel and for the depth of furrows should bemade in themanner already described. The caster-wheel should also rideagainst the land-side of the furrow cut by the rear disk, to prevent theplow from being thrown around by the action of' the disks.

It will be perceived by referring to Fig. l that the forward part of theframe I is arched up to clear the disks A' A', and that botlr frames arelight and adapted to receive the parts carried by them.

Y By making the rims of the disks A' A in: sections, as shown anddescribed, any part, when injured or too much worn, may be replaced withfacility by a new section, thus avoiding the necessity of providing awhole new disk in such cases. The sections may also be removed in orderto be sharpened.

By making the parts H H' in the form, or so as to approximate the form,of mold-boards, instead of in the form of mere Scrapers, the soil is notonly scraped from the disks at the proper time, in case it clingsthereto, but is also turned as by means of the ordinary moldboard.

For many purposes only one disk need be employed.

Having thus described my invention, what- I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Let ters Paten t, is-

' l. The rotary plowing-disks A' A', one or more, consisting of theannular concave-convex dish-shaped or flaring working or cutting bladesG' G', made in sections, removably aplplied to the outer en ds of radialarms or spokes, in combination with oncor more axles arranged at anangle to the line of draft, and journaled in a vertically adjustablebeam or frame mounted on draft-wheels, substantially as and for thepurposes specified.

2. The rotary plowing-disks A' A', one or more, consisting of theannular concave-convex dish-shaped or flaring working or cutting bladesG' G', made in sections, removably applied to the outer ends of radialarms or spokes, in combination with and rigidly applied to a long axle,E', set diagonally to the line of draft, and having double bearings in avertically-adjustable frame or beam mounted on draft-wheels,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. The rotary plowing-disks A' A', one or more, consisting of theannular concave-conA vex dish-shaped or Haring working or cutting bladesG' G', made in sections, removably ap.- plied to the outer ends ofradial arms or spokes, and set diagonally to the line of draft, incombination with the mold-boards H' H', having convex faces arranged in,or nearly in, contact with the concave faces of the said disks orblades, the said disks and mold-boards being applied to avertically-adjustable frame (carried on draft-Wheels, substantially asand line of draft and journaled in double bearfor the purposesspecified. ings in the said frame, and the lifting devievs 4.Thecombination,inarotarvyplowmouuted connected to the frame M,substantially as on draft-Wheels, of the frame M, pivoted or and for thepurposes specified.

hinged at its forward end to the forward part JOHN AUSTIN. V of thecarriage and carrying the rotary plow- Witnesses: ing-disk A A', one ormore, mounted rigidly l F. F. WARNER,

on the long axles E E', set diagonally to the D. J. MAGKELLAR.

